“Every fantasy book is a treasure chest of wonder, where the jewels are stories waiting to be unearthed by those who dare to believe.”
A saying said by many, far from fiction but, if you do have a craving for the ethereal, the books on this list are sure to open you up to many magical realms and expand the corners of your creativity, opening the world as you read these.
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
This specific quotation is derived from a very well know and beloved fantasy, often attributed to bringing the genre back and that is Harry Potter for which I have written down below, the books below are akin and some might even deem them better so now, please accompany me as we scroll through this extremely captivating list of books I have gathered here.
Six of Crows
Six of crows by Leigh Bardugo is a New York Times Bestseller and also has a live action adaptation made on it, available on Netflix! Its an alluring story mixed with mysterious and interesting plot points with grey characters that have captured every reader’s hearts.
A story that inclines us to see beyond and see with our mind rather than our eyes. The story follows Kaz Brekker who is the protagonist and his six friends, who go on missions and get paid a hefty amount for it.
But the most recent mission that they get is to kidnap a certain girl named Alina Starkov, who is known to have a rare Grisha power. On the other hand Kaz’ arch nemesis, Pekka Rollins also has the same mission and Kaz only takes on this mission because he wants that one million kruge to change his fate.
Harry potter and the Philosopher’s stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a Bestseller by J.K. Rowling. Ah, yes, one of the most beloved book series, read worldwide.
The protagonist of this series is Harry Potter, a strong-willed orphan, and this tale begins when he gets a letter and is accepted in Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Philosophers stone is a rare stone and in the book it has special powers that include immortality to its possessor and its being kept at Hogwarts, and is being guarded.
The antagonist Voldemort is after this stone and Harry who finds out about this tries to keep Voldemort from the possession of it. This is the first book in the series of eight and each book has its own perks and tale to tell as well! A line took directly from this masterpiece;
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is also a Bestseller and has a movie made on it as well for the readers to enjoy! It is a trilogy.
A nation named Panem has one Capitol and twelve districts, and every year there is a day of reaping, where a boy and a girl are selected from each district to compete in The Hunger Games.
In the arena they all have to fight for their survival, until only one of them remains alive that gets a hefty sum of money as a reward. The other two books cover the rest of the incidents that take place as the protagonist tries to survive in the arena.
The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner by James Dashner is one of the most popular books from our time and also has a live adaptation. The protagonist, Thomas wakes up in a strange place, The Glade, with no recollection of his past.
The Glade is surrounded by a maze and its full of dangerous unknown creatures. The protagonist meets a girl, Teresa who he has a strange connection with. This tale covers their adventures as they find their way through the maze and how they have to now face the challenges of the real world.
Alice’s Adventures in the Wonderland
Alice’s Adventures in the Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is one of the most well-known and beloved childhood books that all of us have come across. The main character, Alice, falls down the rabbit hole which leads to a magical place called the Wonderland.
There she comes across many strange creatures like The Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and many others. This book offers a strange environment and a great plot twist making it one of the best written fantasy books.
The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is also one of the classics that many people have come across, one must have the privilege to read it.
This book features a young girl Dorothy and a magical cyclone transports her to a special magical place “Oz”. There she follows the Yellow Brick Road to meet t the Wizard of Oz. Unlike other books this book follows a soothing storyline.
Coraline
Coraline by Neil Gaiman comes under the themes of dark fantasy. This story is about a girl named Coraline who finds a hidden door in her room and the door leads to a different world which is similar to her own, except everyone has buttons for eyes.
She has been warned by her mother of the terrors that lay behind that door but she still ends up going beyond that door as her curiosity gets the best of her. There she discovers another version of her mother that kidnaps her and prevents her from returning. Coraline has to figure out a way to escape to her own world in the end.
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott is one of the most underrated fantasy books. This book follows the tale of twins, Sophie and Josh whose parents were in possession of a bookstore that contained a powerful book owned by Nicholas Flamel and his wife, Perenelle, who held the secrets that could end the world.
The book ends up falling into the hands of Dr. John Dee, the antagonist, except the last two pages. Now it’s in the twins’ hands to either save or destroy the world. This series consists of six books The Alchemyst, The Magician, The Sorceress, The Necromancer, The Warlock and The Enchantress.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis follows the story of a little girl Lucy who discovers a magical wardrobe that leads to the land of Narnia. Narnia is under a witch’s spell, Lucy and her siblings end up in Narnia and meet Aslan the Lion there.
Aslan plans to undo the witch’s spell and with the help of other creatures and the kids as they fight a battle. And when they finally return to the real world, they find out that no time has passed while they were gone.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan is a popular fantasy book with a devoted fan base. Percy Jackson is a demi-god and the son of Poseidon.
False accusations have been placed on Percy for stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt. In order to prove his innocence, Percy decided to undertake a journey with his friends and stops a possible war between the Greek Gods. This is a full-fledged series that extends into the world of Greek Gods. A live adaptation on it has been made by Disney as well!
The Name of the Wind
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is the first book in the series “The Kingkiller Chronicle”. It starts with a legendary figure Kvothe, who recounts his life journey from being a gifted child to becoming an orphan in a crime filled city and, later on becoming a broke student in the legendary magic school.
This book includes Kvothe’s quest for arcane arts and an undying urge to reveal the truth behind the sinister forces that have tempered his destiny. It follows the themes of rebellion, hope and transformation. The book includes compelling characters and an indulgent story that is a must read as it captivated fantasy readers all around the world.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien also has three movies based on it, it is a very popular series as well, the trilogy is praised a lot because of its awe-inspiring visuals and its passionate performances.
This novel includes the story of a Hobbit, Frodo Baggins who attains a powerful object that the dark lord also seeks. To destroy this ring and the powerful lord, Frodo joins fellow hobbits and they embark on a dangerous journey to Mount Doom in Mordor, as it is the only place the ring can be destroyed. This story is lined by the themes of hope, perseverance, sacrifice, redemp
